One is company, Two is a crowd
by Emmie1
Summary: There are many Dunpeals. What paths they chose to walk is their own. But some have similar ones, what happens when a hunt and a bounty force two to join forces? Who can trust who?
1. Prologue: The Ride

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D. I own the movies on DVD but not the rights to them, yada yada yada. Enjoy! Please read and review! And yes, this is an intro chapter. Think of at as a prologue if you will.  
  
**  
  
Looking up into the sun, she dared to do what most wouldn't. Not even bother to shield her eyes and look directly onto the burning brightness of it. Finally, when her pupils were horizontally the size of the side of a slit of paper, she raised her long delicate hand to cover then from the assaulting rays.  
  
Lowering her head at last and pulling the hood closer about her, she sighed. Giving a slight kick to her horse, then thing began trotting forward in a slow even pace. What looked like a barren waste land seemed to stretch on for miles untold. For she started out the day with the sky behind her to the east, then gradually it moved above her taunting her, until it lay before her in the west. With narrowed eyes, and carefully covered body, she nudged the horse forward some more. She was beginning to feel the ache of the sun blaring down on her, and she was sure by the sweating state of her stallion that he could use some shade, not to mention drink.  
  
The steady pace of the moving form beneath her became almost lulling to a point, where she blinked one moment and found herself leaning over the animal's head the next.  
  
The horse neighed and tossed it's mane back, exposing its teeth it continued making those same irritating sounds, until finally she couldn't take it anymore and pulled on the reigns, the small braces of metal on the side of her carriers mouth pulling at the gums.  
  
They both stood lone figures in the middle of the seeming desert with the glowing sun above, causing heat ripples on the ground around the horses feet. "What is it?" The rider snapped at last. Her voice court and cold, but more then that, short biting and impatient. Though not, in all fairness unpleasant.  
  
"Why do you do this to yourself?" A deep masculine voice asked, in between soft sounds being held deep in the throat.  
  
"For the same reason I am about to whip you." She hissed. "Because I have a deadline." She said, the cloaked figure leaned back to one of the pouches dangling off of the horse's saddle.  
  
The horse in turn trotted back and began throwing its head about wildly, until the rider lifted her hands and sat back, waiting for the temper tantrum to pass. Otherwise she didn't know what she might do to the stupid beast and figured it unwise to slay it now, and walk the continuing day's journey on foot. "What is it?"  
  
"You are driving yourself too hard. If you continue this way." The horse let the rest of the sentence slid and hang in the air. Throwing it's head up and down as though nodding in agreement with his last statement.  
  
The hooded rider sighed. "It's only a day's ride to the town." She said, now the back of her healed shoes, with spikes stabbing out on the sides poking at the horse, urging it to move on.  
  
The horse reared back on its hind legs, but further then that refused to move.  
  
The cloaked figure leaned forward, standing up in her stirrups, she leaned her lips close to his ear. "Either you walk, run, or trot. I don't care, but either you move in that direction," She hissed in a cold down to business voice, as she poked her finger forward pointing in the direction which she meant, which was a straight line straight in front of them. "Or I am getting off, leaving you here alone, and at any sign of you getting anywhere near me kill you and probably from all this heat kill myself in the process. And you don't really want me to die, now do you?" The cold voice whispered softly.  
  
The horse lowered its head obediently once more and began moving forward with the same pace he had used earlier. Sitting back in the blood red polished saddle, she lowered her head to shield her eyes from the bright glare of the sun, it was getting too much even for her. Tightening her gloved hands around the reigns, she could feel the skin of her knuckles pulling growing taunt. Taking in a deep breath, she passed the tip of her tongue smoothly over her lips, and allowed herself to think of better ways to wet her dry and cracked lips. 


	2. The Deal

As the day rolled on, they finally reached the outskirts of the town. Throwing one leg nimbly over the saddle, she leapt down to the ground with the grace of a cat, her healed boots landing squarely and stable on the fine earth beneath her feet. Crouching down, she pulled off one of her gloves, and passed her finger tips over the soil, before bringing it up to her mouth, and tasting it vaguely.  
  
Brushing off her fingers distastefully, she cast the remaining earth back to the ground and spit out the left over taste remaining in her mouth, before lowering the hood even more over her eyes and staring outwards at the boarder of the town and fence surrounding it. "Neomar," She spoke out loud, then caught sight of the electricity polls and private property signs surrounding the area and pinned up on the fence boards. "Friendly place." She huffed as she raised herself back up into the saddle, and kicked the horse into a light trot.  
  
Riding in silently, she noticed from under the hood, or rather felt the suspicious stares and glaring looks thrown her way. It was a chilling welcome party, a graveyard has more warmth. It seemed as though they very air around her was still and hard, solid enough for the sound of her horse's hooves to slice it dramatically.  
  
Riding down the forsaken road, she ignored all passers by but kept her alert up. Her back never once relaxed and her muscles wouldn't stop to calm from their strung up way.  
  
Reaching her destination, she leapt down from her horse and walked the last couple of feet over to the gateway and entered. She watched as the shadows seemed to roll over and run towards the crosses of the graveyard, shielding them from her being. But she turned her attention away from there.  
  
Seeing numerous figurers, she could already see the same routine that always played, act out once again: The sponsor, in dire need, yet enough gumption to want to keep this quiet and as secret as possible, so he sends messages that he is in need of one of her type, a vampire hunter. Then come all the con-artists, the frauds, the weaklings, those whose eyes are only set at the ultimate goal which is naturally the money, at that she allowed the corner of her mouth to turn up the very slightest, for a split second, because after all, that was the bottom line for her too. Only that she worked hard for that money. Unlike all of those fancy 'companies'.  
  
The 'sponsor' would then weed out the "true of heart" who can help him in this hour of need, and those who it would be useless to send out, because they are afraid of their own shadow. He then would stand there and explain, and you would wonder how long it took to get to the point, he would then send you off with a small first payment, and then you were off.  
  
And the hunt began.  
  
That was at least, how she saw this scene acting out before her eyes. What with the old woman and about five beefy men standing behind her. All looking as formal as possible, with the heavy weaponry they were carrying in their hands.  
  
But now, she noticed a new twist to the common scenario. Quirking a brow under her hood, she stood taller and her back was straighter, as she took more confidant strides and walked up the hill, to the small half circle that had formed around the woman, and was ended by the wall of henchmen behind her.  
  
Coming up as silently as a shadow, she stood there blending into the crowd, no one without the keenest of senses would've even noticed her arrival. But alas, there were some there who possessed such talents. To which she didn't even react. In fact, her exterior was as emotionless as it was expressionless, a walking statue without a soul.  
  
The woman after a few minutes turned her old wrinkled, knowledge filled face to look, or rather squint at the collected hunters who had gathered. Lifting her bonnet white head, a crooked smile stretched over the haggard lips. "This is a nice gathering, isn't it?" She asked in an old scratchy voice, that sounded so light and high tuned that if you closed your eyes, you might've even been able to imagine a young innocent girl uttering those words, rather then a crone.  
  
"I'm sorry we have to meet in such a dreary place, but somehow, I found it appropriate." The old woman went on.  
  
She almost groaned out loud, because the old woman sounded as though she was apologizing for the inn table that wasn't aptly set up for their tea- party. Was this woman all there? Did she even realize who the people gathered in front of her are? What they do?  
  
But just as quickly, as she formed those thoughts in her head and listened to them, she could see the change in the woman. A hungry, lathering at the mouth type of a coyote fancying after your shiny broach look sunk in about the lady. That, naturally, caught her attention and made her listen more closely to what was about to be said, she noticed that only a handful of others noticed this subtle change, and by their body language, the sound of their faster beating hearts that they were now paying close attention. Too close for comfort, if there was any profit to be made out of this whole deal, and competition wasn't exactly the most fun thing in the world, when you were on a job.  
  
The old woman leaned back, and her bony fingers stippled over the arm rests of the chair she was sitting on. If it hadn't been for the fact that Ms.Prazza was known for her wealth and seriousness about spending it, she would've found the picture funny. After all, an old woman who looked more like a dead body then a living one sitting on a fancy thrown chair in the middle of a graveyard.  
  
Very poetic in fact. In an odd macabre way. She registered to herself.  
  
"You might be wondering what an old woman such as myself, might want from you youngsters." The woman said with a wolf disguised as the grandmother air about her. Ready to pounce with her great big teeth at any moment, if they only got a bit closer into range. "It is my son, Devlin." She said, sighing and resting back. "He lost himself in drink a few days ago, and as it seems lost a gambling game and gambled away a very precious heirloom. A talisman rather." She explained, then coughed deeply, you could almost hear her aged lungs gasp for air. "And his life." She said, lowering her eyes but then shooting them back up to look at all of them pointedly. "Or rather, he might. He was bitten." She said bitterly, the venom dripping out of that sweet pruned mouth could scorch the ground below. "Ever since he has been in a feverish haze, unable to leave bed, yet desperate for sleep. You see, each time he tries to, a nightmare attacks him, which he refuses to divulge information about, though it once slipped that it has to do with the vampire who bit him. A man known as Larserous." The old woman said sadly, but something about it just didn't quiet fit. She seemed too calm. "That is all I know though. And myth has it, if you kill the vampire you can heal the other before he has yet. Changed." She said bitterly, her fragile wrinkled vein popping hand tightened around the arm handle. "That's why I sent out word for a bounty price. I'm willing to pay 20 million dollars, for his death- And proof of it. The proof being the heirloom, because that is the only thing I can truly recognize and thus know for sure that the deed has been done. I don't like to be cheated." She added, her tone letting off that that was in fact a warning.  
  
"Now," She said then paused, her dangling fingers roaming over a plate of cookies, that was at her side, she then picked one of them up and held them out sweetly to the bounty hunters before her. "Anyone care for one?" She asked, in a sweet way.  
  
Some smiled uncomfortably, others ignored, but all declined. One way or the other. This is the one thing that most bounty hunters, especially vampire hunters had in common- Business. Nothing more. Nothing less. Never will be either.  
  
The one nibbled on her cookie, then looked up at the men behind her, before returning her gaze to the hunters. "I also believe in the two heads are better then one. So any of you who want to take this job alone, may as well leave now." The woman said, crumbs of the cookie still lingering on her lips.  
  
Through the side of her eye, even though held behind a veil of the hood, she could see one man begin to move. And something about him seemed familiar, though she could not put her finger on it, until she saw a clearer profile of him, though well clothed, she could make out who it was quick enough.  
  
She never did forget a face. Even if it was from other a hundred years ago. To that, she narrowed her eyes then turned her attention back to the gnarled woman, who also noticed him leaving.  
  
"Young man!" She called and stood up in a rush. "I've heard a great deal about you." She said, then smiled kindly. "You are legend." She said softly, waving down one of the henchmen behind her who wanted to help her, it was obvious her scrawny legs wouldn't be able to hold her much longer. "Please, won't you help me save my son?"  
  
And to that, he seemed to weaken. The human instinct to want to protect the young, a mother's love, something deep buried inside, and it gave him pause. "I work alone." He spoke softly, yet his voice held strength in it.  
  
"Of course you do young sir, but so do the others. Won't you? I have more faith in you then the others. But still, I must insist on two working at this. Won't you take with you a companion?" She asked then cast her piercing gaze about the half circle, before tossing her long finger straight at the cloaked hunter. "What about him? He seems quiet enough, just the type to fit you." The woman said, then reached into her pocket and dangled out a small pouch. "I'll double the price." She said and to that the other hunters began to talk, yet she threw them cold gazes, which caused many to hush, but not enough.  
  
Those ones, needless to say, did not get the job.  
  
"Young man! Hunter!" She called, her voice ringing out clearly. "What is your name? Won't you join this bounty hunter?" She asked, now forcing herself to sit back down, before she collapsed into a heap on the ground.  
  
She looked back and forth between the two, wondering how she had gotten mixed into the whole thing to begin with. Maybe the bloody horse was right, she thought to herself, she shouldn't have come. But at the sound of the price. "I work alone too." She confirmed, now feeling isolated after the woman pinpointed her out of a crowd. "My name, as you asked is Fenryl." She said politely, then noticed a few odd glances, some had heard of her, but she was not from these parts, and was quite discrete. That was the way she preferred to be, and thankfully enough, it seemed that was the way she was going to remain. "Takako Fenryl." She said giving up her full name, but not moving the hood or cloak away from her to show her face.  
  
The woman's eyes widened. "Such an interesting occupation for a woman." Ms.Prazza murmured. Then cheered up once more, after her expression had dulled into dim thought. "It works out good. Both work alone, thus you should be able to work fine together." She said, sitting back and clamping her hands together. "One is legendary and the other looks promising." She said, then turned a quizzical expression to both.  
  
He said nothing, as was his usual state. Silence was the best treatment, but the wheels in his head were definitely moving. That was obvious enough even if the rest of him wasn't. Takako on the other hand stepped forward and decided to be brass. "You said you would double it." She said, arching a brow, though no one could see it. "Does that mean we each will get 20 or does that mean we each will get 40?" She inquired straight to the point, she was not known for one to beat around the bush or always up for tact. Thus, she didn't find any point in using any at the moment as it was.  
  
The woman's face darkened and then brightened, though she kept a keen eye on Takako. "Forty each." She bit out, as though the very sound of the price hurt her and tore away at her.  
  
To that, Takako could not refuse, even if D could. Though she highly doubted deep down inside, that he would. Turning to him, Takako looked at him and saw that he was staring into the distance, a rueful grin passed over her face and she couldn't help it. Turning back to the woman she nodded. As though she had just had a secret talk with the man, and they both reached a decision though unspoken. "We'll take the job." Takako said, and noted how the woman was bracing herself to stand up, but did not move forward to help. She didn't feel like getting blown away by one of her goons, misunderstanding her actions.  
  
As the woman stood, she held two bags out to them. "A down payment." She said, and Takako accepted it, tossing one bag idly to D who caught it, and before you could notice his fine hand closing around it and pulling into his coat was gone. Takako nodded to the woman, then looked at the other bounty hunters. They had a short start over them, but it wouldn't last long she knew that much, but that still didn't mean it was worth wasting.  
  
Turning on her heal, she followed D out the graveyard and down a lane. Finally outside, she noted how he climbed upon his metallic steed and waited. Sighing, Takako could tell this was going to be a long hunt. "It's been a while." She said, as she swung up into her saddle, and the two urged their horses forward, leaving the graveyard in the distance.  
  
"It has." Was all he said for the next five hours. 


End file.
